On Monday, I took the morning after pill (12 PM, and second tablet 12 AM).

I expressed and pumped milk for eight hours after each tablet. Everything seemed fine, and I had enough milk on hand for my baby. He will be three months at the end of March.

Tuesday: My left breast seemed to feel less full, and I noticed that less milk was coming out. Although the morning and afternoon seemed ok for breastfeeding. My baby appeared satisfied.

Wednesday: Same problem.

The night time for both days has become particularly bad, and I seemed to not be making any milk.

For example, I just woke my baby up around 5 AM to nurse, and he nursed at each breast for about 10 minutes. Both my breasts DO NOT feel full like they normally have.

Afterward, I hand pumped on each breast, and got less than an ounce total.

I understand that the milk supply can suffer for a few days after NEXT CHOICE morning after.

Questions: Am I at risk for drying up? Should I be supplementing with formula?

I am interested in continuing to breastfeed, but don't know what to do.

My supply before the morning after pill was very good, and baby seemed to be gaining adequate weight, and had the appropriate count of wet and soiled diapers.

Regards,

March 15th, 2012, 05:31 AM

@llli*aida

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

Apologies, for 8 hours after each morning after tablet, I dumped the milk I had expressed.

March 15th, 2012, 06:34 AM

@llli*aprilsmagic

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

Your supply is probably low from the estrogen in the pill. How long it will take to come back...I don't know. I would not supplement unless baby is dehydrated (evidenced by decreased wets and poops) and decreased demand at the breast will certainly dry up your milk. Instead, nurse and pump more until this blows over.

Might be helpful to combine a barrier method with learning fertility signals to minimize your chances of having to do this again. :gvibes. A very good book about that is Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

ETA: and if you look up lactational amenorrhea method, you might find that helpful too.

March 15th, 2012, 06:41 AM

@llli*mommal

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

As long as you nurse on demand, your baby should be able to get your supply back to where he needs it to be. You're not going to spontaneously dry up. Severe supply decrease usually only happens if a) you get pregnant, b) you consistently take a combined estrogen-progestin contraceptive (which would only decrease your supply, not make it vanish) or c) you mismanage breastfeeding (schedule feedings, don't nurse enugh, pump instead of nursing, etc.)

The problem here is likely a combination of b and c. The morning after pills are like a one-time high dose of combined estrogen-progestin pills, and that's likely to cause your supply to decrease. And instead of nursing, you had two 8 hour periods of simply pumping, which tends to be much less effective than nursing when it comes to maintaining milk supply. But the decrease should be temporary, since a) you're done with the pills and b) you're back to nursing. At this point, nursing the baby should bring your supply right back.

On to supplementing: just watch your baby. If he continues to have adequate wet diaper output and generally appears satisfied, don't worry about supplementing even if your breasts feel less full or if baby is nursing all. the. time. Nothing is better for supply than constant nursing, so if baby spends a couple of days attached to you, I think you're going to get right back on track.

Now, if baby is not wetting the minimum number of wet diapers in a 24-hour period, then you may need to consider supplementing while you work to bring your supply back up. But I don't think you're going to need to do that. :gvibes

March 15th, 2012, 07:09 AM

@llli*aida

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

Thank you for quick reply.

I am aware of the LAM method, but bc my period returned, it appears i cant rely on that as a form of birth control. Im currently investigating other options of birth control.

Based on my research, the next choice emergency contraception does not contain estrogen, but just progetsin.

What concerns me in addition to abrupt decrease in supply is the lack of milk, or the normal feeling of fullness in my left breast. When i use my handpump, ive gotten a few a drops at best.

Should i look to contacting a LC, or going to rent a hospital grade pump, or contact my lll local leader? I am determined to regain my supply, but am afraid i might do something wrong.

March 15th, 2012, 09:33 AM

@llli*kst.7399

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

Your baby will yield far greater results. Nurse as much as possible. Let baby lounge on the breast to stimulate. I can't imagine you are permanently drying up. Women stop nursing altogether for weeks and then relactate. But you must stimulate your breasts to make milk. If you pump at work or something it might not be a bad idea to rent a hospital grade for added protection. Keep in mid however that it is also perfectly normal to stop feeling full once nursing is well established. I almost never feel full now unless my son just went through a growth spurt and then suddenly sleeps through the night.

March 15th, 2012, 11:38 AM

@llli*mommal

Re: Regarding Morning After Pill

Quote:

Originally Posted by @llli*aida

I am aware of the LAM method, but bc my period returned, it appears i cant rely on that as a form of birth control. Im currently investigating other options of birth control.

Yeah, LAM isn't going to work for you. :( If you'd like input from other nursing moms on various contraceptive options, just let us know! We'll be happy to critique our methods of choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @llli*aida

Based on my research, the next choice emergency contraception does not contain estrogen, but just progetsin.

That's good! I didn't know there was an emergency BC that was progestin-only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @llli*aida

What concerns me in addition to abrupt decrease in supply is the lack of milk, or the normal feeling of fullness in my left breast. When i use my handpump, ive gotten a few a drops at best.

Hand pumps tend to be the absolute bottom of the barrel when it comes to extracting milk from the breast. So that's not necessarily an indicator of a supply problem. Fullness is also not a good supply indicator, since feeling "full" often indicates that you are making extra milk, milk that the baby doesn't need. After you've been nursing for a while, it's normal to rarely or never feel full, perhaps only whenyour baby sleeps through the night or skips a feeding for some other reason.